The operators of Switzerland’s main airport, in Zurich, have presented plans to extend two runways, re-igniting a controversy over noise pollution.
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swissinfo.ch with Keystone-SDA/ug
Zurich airportExternal link says extending two runways would increase safety and simplify landing and take-off traffic.
Airport CEO Stephan Widrig described the upgrade as a step towards stablising operations. He rejected allegations that it was meant to increase capacities.
The financial investment for the project is estimated at CHF250 million ($278 million). Construction work is not expected to be launched before 2030.
The Zurich cantonal government has approved the upgrade in principle, but the cantonal parliament is still to debate the issue and voters are also likely to have a say.
Criticism
Opponents, including the Fair in Air groupExternal link and the Green Party, have dismissed the plans as “megalomaniac” and outdated in times of climate change.
In January, the airport operators decided to postpone building a new terminal and froze investments.
More than 400,000 cross-border commuters now work in Switzerland
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More than half of all cross-border commuters were resident in France (around 57%). Large proportions also lived in Italy (23%) and Germany (around 16%).
Amherd and von der Leyen discuss ongoing Swiss-EU negotiations
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Swiss President Viola Amherd and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen have met and talked about the ongoing negotiations between Bern and Brussels.
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One million francs, 34 million euros and around 830 kilos of gold: this is the fortune that two Swiss nationals are accused of having moved across borders for at least four years.
Girls in female-dominated classes earn more later on
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At the age of 30, women from school classes with a 55% share of girls earn $350 more per year than women from classes with a 45% share of girls.
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Geneva-based luxury goods group Richemont reported a downturn in performance for the first half of its 2024/25 financial year. Both sales and profit declined.
COP29: Swiss NGOs call for strong financial support
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Ahead of COP29, Swiss NGOs call for wealthy nations to pay $1,000 billion a year to help other countries solve climate problems.
Real Swiss wages likely to rise in 2025, says UBS bank
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Higher wages and falling inflation are likely to boost Swiss purchasing power, which will be dragged back by rising health premiums.
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Zurich airport in the red due to Covid-19
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Switzerland’s largest international airport posted a loss in 2020, hit hard by an almost 75% historic slump in traffic due to the pandemic.
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The Federal Aviation Office has decided to cap at current levels the number of time slots for planes at Switzerland’s main airport in Zurich.
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